When it comes to technological advancements in cars, cameras have been a big feature. What started out as a simple and high-end luxury, cameras are quickly becoming the standard for most modern cars. With cameras giving us the opportunity to see what is blocked by our cars’ blind spots, its no wonder that they have become so popular. As their popularity grows, cameras in cars are replacing more and more features, but what does the future have in store?

Rearview Mirror

For many drivers on the road today, we grew up relying heavily on our rearview camera to keep track of the cars around us and to see potential hazards as we drive our cars in reverse. The introduction of backup cameras has changed the game for many people, and they are so available that newer drivers are learning to depend on backup cameras rather than their rearview mirrors. Rearview cameras allow drivers to get a clear picture of what is behind them and can be beneficial when visibility is blocked by other cars or objects.

Rearview cameras can also be helpful with parking in reverse. Some cameras come with options that allow for lines that help show where your car is going based on how turned the wheels are. This feature paired with sensors gives us a better idea of where our car is going when it’s in reverse and what is behind us.

Sideview Cameras

While it isn’t necessarily legal in the United States yet, several cars in Europe are pioneering a new use of cameras in cars: side-view mirror replacements. Sideview cameras completely remove the need for side-view mirrors in cars. One benefit of this replacement is that side-view cameras are much smaller than side-view mirrors, meaning they are more aerodynamic and decrease the car’s drag coefficient.

The side-view camera can also adjust and adapt to your driving style and what your car is doing at the time. The side-view mirrors on the Audi e-tron change their field of depth depending on how fast the car is going. For instance, if you are driving on the highway, which the car would be able to identify by your speed, the camera would adjust to show traffic further back. The cameras can be adjusted when parking so they point downwards towards parking-spot dividing lines or curbs, a feature some BMWs have but not to the same, effective extent.